T

he Attorney General'€™s Office (AGO) said on Wednesday that it was looking into the possibility of transferring a graft case that could implicate North Sumatra Governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho over to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which has named the Prosperous Justice (PKS) politician a suspect in a related bribery allegation.

Junior attorney general for special crimes Widyo Pramono, who visited the KPK headquarters on Wednesday for a discussion with KPK leaders, confirmed the plan, telling reporters that the two law enforcement institutions were currently holding meetings to reach an agreement over it.

'€œThe discussion is still underway; just wait for the results,'€ Widyo said.

The North Sumatra Prosecutors'€™ Office has launched an investigation into the alleged misuse of social aid funds at Gatot'€™s office. In a move to prevent other officials from being netted in the probe, the North Sumatra provincial administration filed a petition with the Medan State Administrative Court (PTUN Medan) to challenge the letter of investigation issued by prosecutors. Gatot hired prominent advocate OC Kaligis to challenge the investigation order in the PTUN. The court ruled in favor of Gatot'€™s office, a ruling that was later suspected to have been connected with US$18,000 in bribe money Kaligis allegedly paid to three PTUN judges on July 9. The KPK has since arrested Kaligis.

One week after arresting Kaligis, the KPK moved to slap corruption charges on Gatot and his wife Evi Susanti on Tuesday after witnesses and other evidence indicated that the couple had provided the money for Kaligis in the bribery scheme.

After the PTUN Medan annulled the investigation order issued by the North Sumatra Prosecutors'€™ Office, the AGO decided to launch its own investigation into the alleged misuse of social aid funds by the North Sumatra administration.

After spending hours in discussion with KPK leaders, Widyo refused to disclose the results of Wednesday'€™s meeting. Meanwhile, KPK commissioner Johan Budi said on Wednesday that the antigraft body was still coordinating with the AGO to discuss the possibility of taking over the social aid funds case for the sake of efficiency.

'€œWe are communicating with the AGO about it,'€ Johan added.

Johan said that KPK investigators would question Gatot and Evy as suspects in the case, adding that the KPK would likely detain the couple after their questioning next week.

'€œIf KPK investigators need to detain him for the sake of the investigation then such a move will be made. Probably next week they will be questioned as suspects,'€ Johan added.

Meanwhile, business at the North Sumatra gubernatorial office went on as usual on Wednesday after the naming of Gatot as a suspect in the bribery case. Gatot was not seen at his office that day.

North Sumatra provincial secretary Hasban Ritonga said on Wednesday that the KPK'€™s move against the governor did not affect the work of the North Sumatra provincial administration. '€œNothing changed. All things here are running normally like on regular days. We have not received official information from the KPK regarding the legal status of Pak Gatot. We only know it from media reports,'€ Hasban told reporters at the gubernatorial office on Wednesday.